Feed-rack.



F. B. TOWL-E.

FEED BACK. APPLICATION FILED AUG. 10, 1911- PD 1 9 1 00 2 D 8 F d w m a P Imam nior frank BL YZwZe.

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FRANK B. TOVTLE, OF WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS.

. FEED-RACK.

Application filed August 10, 1911.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, FRANK B. TowLn, a citizen of the United States, residing at Worcester, in the county of Worcester and Commonwealth of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Feedsliacks, of which the following is a specification, accompanied by drawings forming a part of the same.

My invention relates to that class of feed racks which is especially designed and adapted for the feeding of poultry, and has for its object to produce a light, cheap and portable rack for holding any of the usual kinds of green feed used in such feeding. My invention is so arranged that the feed can be readily introduced and held therein until it is gradually consumed.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is a front view of my improved feed rack, shown before the feed is introduced. Fig. 2 is a side view of the same, showing the feed rack with the feed held therein. Fig. 3 is the same as Fig. 2, except that it is shown with the feed only partially introduced. Fi g. 4: is

a detached vertical sectional view of the sta tionary frame of the rack. Fig. 5 is a detached vertical sectional view of the movable frame of the rack.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts in the different figures;

Referring to the drawings, 1 denotes feet adapted to rest on the ground and support the uprights 2, and attached to these upright are horizontal bars 3 to form therewith a stationary rectangular frame 1. To give strength and rigidity to the frame 1 and to prevent the feed from working down more rapidly than is desirable as the feed is being consumed, horizontal parallel space bars 5 are attached to the frame 4.

Attached to the uprights 2 are fixed lateral metal rods 6, and supported by and slidable thereon is the movable frame 7, said rods passing through elongated openings 8 in the ends 9 of the movable frame 7. The elongated openings 8 allow a rocking motion of the movable frame 7 on the rods 6. Extending forwardly from the central portions of the ends 9 of the movable frame 7 are brackets 10, and connecting the forward ends of said brackets to the ends of the stationary frame 4 are spiral springs 11, which, when the rack is empty, hold the frames 4 and 7 together, as shown in Fig. 1. By extending the brackets forwardly from the movable v Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 23, 1915.

Serial No. 643,412.

frame and connecting the forward ends of these brackets to the stationary frame by means of the tension springs 11, the brackets act as levers to draw'the movable frame into such angular position as will be best suited to the mass of feed between the two frames, this action being clearly indicated in Fig. 3.

To prevent the feed 12 from falling to the ground and to allow it to be more closely packed in the rack, I attach a piece of canvas or other collapsible material 13 to the lower edges of the frames 4 and 7. When the rack is full, the width of the canvas 13 limits the distance between the lower edges of the frames and forms a bottom 13 to support the feed 12.

In operating my rack, the tops of the ends of the movable frame 7 are grasped and drawn forward and away from the frame 4:, using the movable frame 7 in the manner of a lever with its lower edge bearing against the stationary frame 4, forming a fulcrum at 14. As the openings 8 are made somewhat longer than the diameter of the rods 6, sufficient play is given to allow a limited rocking motion of the movable frame 7 on the rods 6. By this arrangement a V-shaped space is formed, as shown in Fig. 3. The feed 12 is then introduced and crowded downward against the bottom 13 forcing outward the lower edge of the movable frame 7 until the space between the frames is filled. The movable frame is then released and the feed securely compressed between the frames by the tension of the springs 11, the movable frame 7 accommodating itself to any inequalities in the mass of feed.

I claim,

1. In a feed rack, a stationary frame, rods extending laterally from said frame, a movable frame supported on said rods and freely slidable thereon at points between the upper and lower edges of said movable frame, and yielding means to force the movable frame toward the stationary frame.

2. In a feed rack, a stationary frame, fixed rods extending laterally therefrom, a movable frame supported on said rods and freely slidable at points between the upper and lower edges of said movable frame, said movable frame being capable of a rocking movement on said rods, and tension springs connecting said movable and stationary frames to force the movable frame toward the stationary frame.

3. In a feed rack, a stationary frame, rods extending laterally from said frame, a movable frame slidably supported on said rods and capable of a rocking motion, bracketsframe, and tension springs connecting the outer ends of said brackets to said stationary 15 frame.

5. In a feed rack, a stationary frame, a movable frame adapted to hold feed between said frames, a collapsible bottom supported by the lower edges of said frames, and ten- 20 sion means to draw said frames together.

FRANK B. TOWLE. Witnesses:

PENELOPE COMBERBACH, NELLIE WHALEN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G." 

